Category: Op Ed

YOUTHS are a critical constituency in every given society and it is that period in life when one is young, and often refers to the phase between childhood and adulthood. The African Youth Charter defines youths or young people as every person between the ages of 15 and 35 years while the United Nations defines youth as persons between the ages of 15 and 24 and all UN statistics are based on this range. By Enock Musungwini Youths are a special group that requires carefully planned and specific programming to…

EIGHT years after the drafting of a Zimbabwe national Alcohol policy, nothing has materialised. The Ministry of Health and Child Care National Cancer strategy 2013-17 cited alcohol as a major risk factor for cancer, as a result, the Zimbabwe National Alcohol policy is a key component in the fight against cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases. By Enoch Musungwini Research has shown that alcohol is a risk factor for HIV transmission and the multisectoral efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe should also be supported by effective implementation and monitoring of the…

OVER the years, analysis of the Health budget has tended to restrict itself to examining conformity with the Abuja Declaration which state that at least 15% of the national budget must be allocated to health. By Taurai Nyandoro Nonetheless, the approach presents limitations in that it reduces us to celebrate a mere satisfaction of the 15% threshold, without evaluating the salient propositions on specific allocations such as unbalanced appropriations in favour of policy and administration versus direct service delivery and value for money. The latter becomes important taken in light…

For nearly 50 years, cholesterol and saturated fat have been maligned by the medical community for their purported role in heart disease. However, a large body of scientific research indicates that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat are not the driving forces behind heart disease. By Dr Nyari Panweni Despite this evidence, much of the medical community continues to promote outdated dietary guidelines for patients with high cholesterol and heart disease, including low-­‐fat and low-­‐cholesterol diets. As it turns out, this outdated advice may actually be harmful to the heart. Cholesterol…

Cholesterol has gotten the bad end of the stick for years. Did you know that we actually need cholesterol to stay healthy? By Dr Nyarai Paweni Sage ReStorative Health So, what is cholesterol? it’s a waxy fat-­‐like substance that is primarily made in the liver. The liver makes 80% of our cholesterol. The remaining 20% comes from our diet from meats, cheeses, milks, nuts etc. And why is it important? Cholesterol is essential for cell membranes, and is the building block for production of hormones (thyroid, male/female hormones) and vitamin…

The New Government must prioritise strengthening of Primary Health Care to achieve Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals Now that the elections are over, the people of Zimbabwe expect the fulfilment of the election manifesto, in which you promised massive improvement in health infrastructure; more health personnel; accessible and affordable medicines; free medical care for cancer patients; at least one hospital per district, improved health services in resettlement areas, reduction of hospital fees by 50% and pursuing the Health for All policy, among others. As Community Working Group…

When you receive your Butterfly Cup it is essential that you sterilize it before using it. There are 4 methods for sterilizing the cup: 1 Put a pot of water on to boil. Once boiling you can place the Butterfly cup in the water and continue to let it boil for a few minutes. After 5 minutes remove the pot from the heat and remove the cup. 2If you are not able to place the cup in a pan on the stove, it will be fine to pour boiling water…

A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of your brain is cut off. Without the oxygen in blood, brain cells start dying within minutes. By Belinda Pfende DID YOU KNOW that 1. According to WHO October 2017, Stroke is the 5th cause of death in Zimbabwe 2. 1 in 6 people will have a stroke in their lifetime 3. Stroke is responsible for more deaths annually than those attributed to AIDS, TB and MALARIA COMBINED 4. A stroke can happen to anyone at any age but in our…

In Zimbabwe there are many myths around the subject of virginity and menstrual blood. By Hazel Stede The Myths: 1 Some people believe women should not walk among the cattle when they are menstruating as they may cause the cattle to lose their skin. 2 A woman must not put salt in the cooking or someone may get sick. 3 Women, when they are menstruating are unclean and not permitted to attend certain gatherings or church services. 4 If a man sleeps with a woman when she is menstruating, his…

Yamurayi Choruwa, 43, was born partially blind. By Tatenda Rodney Macheka A name given by his parents when they realized his condition,“Yamurayi,” loosely translated from the local dialect, means “a call for help,” and he admits that for many years he spent sleepless nights crying and worrying about himself. According to the Zimbabwe Council for the Blind, it is estimated that 125,000 people in Zimbabwe are blind and twice that number are visually impaired. These people often face social discrimination, as well as challenges in access to education and work.…